


Shadow Of A Dream

by TreeOfLife1997



Category: Labyrinth (1986), The Witcher (TV), Wiedźmin | The Witcher - All Media Types
Genre: Alternate Universe - Canon Divergence, Crossover
Language: English
Status: In-Progress
Published: 2020-01-01
Updated: 2020-01-01
Packaged: 2021-02-27 10:00:21
Rating: Not Rated
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 1,369
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/22065148
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/TreeOfLife1997/pseuds/TreeOfLife1997
Summary: Geralt should have chosen his words more carefully because ever since Jaskier was a child, a snowy white barn-owl has followed him. Following him as if it were his very own shadow, and haunting his dreams along with monsters which wouldn't have looked out of place with Geralt's silver sword run through them...... It's time to enter the realm of the Goblin King!
Relationships: Geralt z Rivii | Geralt of Rivia & Jaskier | Dandelion
Comments: 8
Kudos: 94





	Shadow Of A Dream

**Author's Note:**

> Sorry in advance for any spelling mistakes, I'm too tired to proofread it and I want to get it posted, as I'm having trouble saving drafts on here at the moment. I'll be back to edit it once I've gotten some sleep. Happy New Year, everyone!

"Damn it, Jaskier! Why is it, whenever I find myself in a pile of shit these days, it's you shovelling it!?" Geralt spat out furiously, causing Jaskier to widen his eyes at the sudden onslaught of angry words. "The Child Surprise, the djinn, all of it! If life could give me one blessing, it would be to take you off my hands!"

Jaskier felt his heart stop, and his jaw dropped in horror as his eyes widened in fear. He could feel the supernatural gaze which burned into the back of his bead, and he knew, if he turned his head, the snowy white barn-owl which had followed him from as early as he could remember would be close by, its stare unblinking.

"Wh-what-" Jaskier stuttered out, only to cut himself off.

He shut his eyes, tears were threatening to fall, and he cursed himself for it. He tried to tell himself it was just a silly story, that his older brothers had told him to scare him, to blackmail him into doing their bidding or to keep his mouth shut when they got up to mischief and didn't want their father to find out.

There was no Goblin King, Jaskier told himself.

The owl which haunted him and followed him everywhere he went, wasn't waiting for the moment someone wished him away. The grinning king upon his throne, a crystal ball which danced through his fingers and the beast which made up his court which had haunted his dreams for some many years, they no longer woke him screaming or even in a cold sweat of fear, weren't real. He'd always had a creative mind, dreaming up ridiculous and silly things, the stupid tale of the Goblin King's Labyrinth had been too full of endless possibilities, his mind could not let go of it. While it was a terrifying place full of goblin's and monster's, it was like no place on the continent or anywhere in the realm. His young and creative mind had been drawn in, that was all. 

His older brothers had always threatened to wish him away, so the Goblin King could claim him and steal him away to the other realm, the realm all monsters came from... A sensation, like someone had poured a bucket of cold water down his spine, shot through Jaskier. For all the time's his brothers had made that threat, they had never dared to follow through on it. Not even, after being pushed around one too many times, Jaskier had screamed at them to wish him away. They hadn't dared to speak the words, none of them had uttered a sound, and there had been fear in there eyes when Jaskier had declared he'd wish the Goblin King would take him so that he couldn't get away from them!

He remembered a night he'd gone out exploring the woods behind their home and fallen asleep at the base of a tree, only to wake just before dawn to see the snowy white barn-owl staring down at him with unblinking eyes. He'd screamed so loud, the search party his father had summoned from the town had found him almost instantly afterwards. His mother had embraced him so hard when they'd returned with him, he'd felt his ribs grinding together, and he found out from one of the servants that when he hadn't come home, his father had caned his brothers until he was sure they were telling the truth when they'd said they hadn't done anything to him, they hadn't wished him away. He remembered the fear in his mother's eyes when he'd told her about the owl and the sobs he heard from her bedchamber almost every night after.

"Geralt!" Jaskier cried, rushing forward and dropping to his knees beside Geralt and grasping his arm in desperation. "Take it back! Renounce it!"

Geralt let out a growl and shook off Jaskier's grip. He stood and towered over Jaskier, with a look which was often turned on the monsters he fought. And for a moment Jaskier felt relief. If Geralt killed him, he wouldn't be stolen away to the other realm. Instead, Geralt turned and stormed off, heading towards the camp. Whatever hope had remained, drained for Jaskier in that moment and tears burned in his eyes and this time he let them fall.

"What have you done?" Jaskier whispered, and something in his voice made Geralt pause and look back at him.

Jaskier was still on the ground where Geralt had left him; his eyes screwed shut and tears rolling down his cheeks. Geralt could taste the salt from them in the air; he made to turn away when the hooting of an owl stopped him. Jaskier's eyes snapped open, and his gaze darted to the snowy white barn-owl which had settled on a rock across from where Jaskier was sat. The scent of fear filled the air in seconds, Jaskier's fear.

"No, no, no, no, no," Jaskier began repeating under his breath. "Why? Out of everything that could have been said, why was it that?"

The owl hooted again and Jaskier flinched.

"To the realm of the Goblin King, a tale which leaves me aching," Jaskier whispered. "A curse upon a name, whom shall I blame? When the goblin king steals me away, to die amongst the fay. For a king so cruel, his magic glitters like jewels. His kingdom is great, and a wish has sealed my fate. What is said, is said, it cannot be unsaid. I will watch the sunset, my fate is set. What has been said, will see me dead, in the realm of the Goblin King."

It wasn't the greatest piece Jaksier had ever created, but the words made Geralt frown. The Goblin King? What was a Goblin King? Without warning, the owl let out a final hoot before sweeping off its perch and driving towards Jaskier, who ducked and rolled out its way. Jaskier let out a string of curses and scrambled to his feet. A new emotion crossed Jaskier's face and he walked towards Geralt, more determined than he'd ever seen Jaskier before. For a second Geralt braced himself, wondering if Jaskier was about to strike him. But instead, Jaskier passed him. Geralt simply turned and watched him go, before finally moving his feet to follow him.

Geralt watched out the corner of his eyes, as Jaskier hurriedly packed up his belongings, before pausing. He let out a sigh and run his hands over his lute, he glanced towards the dwarfs, as if contemplating something for a second, before he shook his head and continued as he had before. Picking up the last of his stuff, Jeskier turned and walked towards the path. He didn't look back at Geralt nor did he wait. Geralt sighed and slung his swords over his shoulders. He almost jumped when he turned to follow Jaskier, only to find him stood only two steps away, arms folded over his chest and glaring.

"Did you mean it?" Jaskier said. "When you claimed us not to be friends?"

Geralt simply stared back, he obviously took to long to answer, because Jaskier shook his head.

"Your wish will be granted, Witcher," Jaskier informed him. "Come dawn you'll never see me again, even if you look for me."

Jaskier paused, shut his eyes and took a deep breath before opening them once more.

"I will say this now, because I know in time it'll be true, even if my hurt and fear clouds my mind at this very moment," Jaskier continued. "You're my friend, Geralt. You didn't know, so don't blame yourself. Right now, all I wish is for my fate to haunt you for the rest of your life... but know, remember it wasn't your fault, not truly."

Jaskier nodded to himself.

"You're my friend," Jaskier repeated. "I don't blame you for sealing my fate with careless words spoken in anger when you didn't know the consequences of such a wish."

Jaskier turned and made to walk away once more.

"Wait." Geralt found himself saying before he could stop himself.

Jaskier stopped but didn't turn around.

"May the fates favour you, Geralt," and with that Jaskier kept walking.


End file.
